We have a special Vishwaroopam (Vishwaroop Hindi) special feature just for you! Pooja Kumar, who stars opposite Kamal Haasan in the epic film, recently sat down with Ashanti Omkar, Bollywood editor for Cineworld Cinemas and we have some highlights from that fabulous interview. Check out what the actress had to say about the unique way she got the role, working with Kamal sir and more!
Here something interesting we bet you didn’t know, Pooja Kumar revealed that it was a chat on Skype that landed her the role in Vishwaroopam, “Gouthami ji, who has also done the styling for the film, saw my work online and recommended me for the project. The production contacted my manager and we set up a Skype call with Kamal sir. We spoke for about five minutes and he said that his team would get back to me. The next day I get a call and I’m on the plane to Chennai to shoot the film! This was what is so amazing about technology today – you can be anywhere in the world and get great work. I am very thankful to them for allowing me to be part of this wonderful project.”
In the film, she plays Nirupama, who is married to Kamal Haasan’s character Viswanath. “I play a nuclear oncologist. We live in New York and I basically married him to get my PhD and green card so that I can pursue my career. My character is working on curing cancer (something spurred on by the death of her father). However, my life is not what I thought it would be and my husband has more to him than meets the eye! Viswanath is a character who is a Kathak teacher and we have a marriage of convenience initially, but our story develops as the narrative goes on.”
Kumar said she really feels that Haasan writes wonderful female characters, “His female roles are filled with sub-texts, fine nuances and so much character.”
The actress admits she was nervous her first day on set, “On the first day I was scared, as I knew no Tamil. I was giving a lot of takes to make it happen, but he said I was on board after I thought I’d be ousted from the project for messing up. He looked beyond that – he wants people to come up, especially newcomers, who don’t get so many opportunities. I realised what a wonderful human being he was, and my nervousness transitioned into confidence.”
So, once the nerves settled how was it to work on Vishwaroopam and Kamal Haasan? “This has been a life changing experience for me. Working with a man of his stature and calibre has been a gift I will cherish forever. I am truly blessed for getting an opportunity to work with a man I admire and respect tremendously. His passion, tenacity, versatility, and humbleness drives you as an artiste and pushes you to achieve excellence. He is the epitome of a great artiste because he pushes the envelope to newer levels. Standing next to him on set was an incredible experience, because his knowledge of filmmaking is extraordinary. I still have to pinch myself and say that I worked with an icon. It’s been a dream come true!”
Now Haasan starred in the film but he also wrote it, produced it and directed the film, which Kumar says was an eye opening experience. “When we were rehearsing the scenes he was my director and then when we were ready to shoot, I shut off the director and switched to the actor who is my co-star. What was so fascinating to see was that he seamlessly transitioned between roles. There was no hesitation or conflict in his mind of what had to be done. This is one of the biggest films to come out of India, so we should all commend him for the effort. His patience and humility was astounding.”
Another amazing thing was that not only did she get to work with Kamal sir, but she also worked with the esteemed Shekhar Kapur, “I was so excited when I heard that I was going to be doing scenes with Shekhar ji. His vision, storytelling, and direction are truly unique and we should celebrate people like him. It was truly an amazing experience for me, being able to listen to two greats; Kamal sir and him share their film stories and projects. Hopefully we will work together soon.”
The film also stars Rahul Bose, “Rahul is a very versatile actor and although we didn’t get to work in any scenes together, I’m happy that he has been a part of this film. I met him briefly during the shoot and I do hope I get a chance to act with him.”
Calling the film an action ride that you are bound to thoroughly enjoy she says, “The audience will be in for a wonderful treat!”
The actress closed with a thank you to her fans, “Thank you for all the love and support! It’s because of your love that I keep on striving for excellence and the want to give you all something new to see every time. Keep watching movies, as we love making them for you!”
